Iran, Hamas and the Palestinian Problem: A Public Service Announcement

by Charles Lenchner · 2009-03-11 04:21:00 UTC
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Public Service Announcement:

Did you know that the conflict between Jews and Arabs in Israel/Palestine has been going on for more than 100 years? That may strike some as a surprise. After all, Iran has only been hostile to Israel since 1979. Hamas has only existed since 1988. Iran and Hamas have only been close for a few years. So why do some people claim that Iran is responsible for Israel's security dilemma?

It's simple! They want an excuse to crush the Palestinians while portraying them as mere agents of a foreign power. They want to take the violence of today and rip it apart from the long-term political context. They want to make it more difficult for those with a casual, short-term interest in the region to really understand what is going on.

The talking point strategy has two components, both designed to prevent negotiations with Hamas. Point 1: Don't talk about the Palestinian problem, talk about Hamas violence. Point 2: Don't talk about Hamas violence, talk about Iran as a strategic threat.

So kids, the next time your friend starts talking about 'Iran' to deflect attention from the occupation, siege of Gaza, human rights violations, racism and aggressive and illegal settlement policy, just say: "That's silly!" and tell them to remove AIPAC junk food from their diet. It's bad for you, and likely to induce violence and suffering.

Thank you for your time.

Charles Lenchner
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